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Why is Internet fax the perfect faxing solution for SMEs?

When running a small business it is important to be able to communicate with clients in every possible way to meet their needs, but one channel that is often overlooked is fax.

Many people believe that faxing is a thing of the past and believe that they can get by with just email and telephone. But did you know that the contents of any email can be intercepted multiple times en route to its final destination? It is read and stored by ISPs, servers, firewalls, virus checkers and unscrupulous ‘bots’ that harvest email data.

This is just one reason why secure Internet faxing is so beneficial to small businesses, as it ensures that the sensitive data being sent and received is done so securely and that it is not going to be read or intercepted along the way.

Here are the main reasons why Internet faxing is a better option to manual faxing or emailing:

1. Cloud Computing

By embracing cloud computing and using Software as a Service, small businesses can benefit from numerous efficiencies without the need to buy, build and maintain IT infrastructure to support the technology.

Internet faxing allows businesses to access and send its documents via the Internet instead of installing and managing new software. This saves businesses both time and money whilst giving them the ability to automate processes, reduce risk, increase competitiveness and improve performance.

2. Time Saving

Time is a precious commodity for any small business and when using an Internet fax service, it’s possible to reduce any unnecessary time spent at the fax machine. Through this system, a fax number will be assigned to your business. But rather than receive faxes through traditional means, you’ll receive them to your inbox, just as you would an email.

3. Cost Reduction

Most Internet fax services cost just a small monthly fee, dependent on how often the service is used, but some can charge per fax sent, which could be a better option for those who do not regularly send faxes. Monthly charges range from as low as $2-10 upwards.

Faxing the old-fashioned way costs money on a regular basis: line rental, paper, ink and sending fees. Not to mention the time consuming nature of physically sending documents, especially if multiple documents need to be sent to multiple locations. And time is a cost in itself.

4. Eco efficiency

Online faxing helps companies eliminate paper and streamline business processes. This solution allows them to save on paper because instead of faxes being printed out automatically, you have the ability to select which documents need to be preserved on actual paper.

5. Security

One of the major benefits of Internet Fax is the improved security this system offers. For example, some services give you the ability to restrict access to your faxes, track usage data, and protect your important documents from outside interference. A manual fax machine can never provide this level of service.

Unfortunately, many people have a preconceived perception of fax, which is based on memories of the 1980s. However, modern internet faxing is so hugely different from the previous version with more flexibility, accessibility than ever before, it must be tried to be believed.

About the Author: Written by Aleks Szymanski CEO, SecureCare Technologies, Inc. SecureCare has spent 10 years securely digitizing, processing and storing sensitive information to eliminate  manual processes and paper. Today it provides a ‘double encrypted’ HIPAA-compliant Internet fax for the healthcare sector named Sfax.

How Waste Management Jobs Can Help Redesign the Energy Use of a Business

How companies manage waste is a core element of their entitlement to the ISO 14001 mark, which signifies a commitment to the development and maintenance of sustainable working processes. Waste management jobs are therefore a key part of the business’ ability to become consistently environmentally aware – a fact that bleeds over both into that business’ CSR and overall sustainability quotient.

The management of waste is a far more pressing problem than most readers would probably believe. Landfill sites, never much vaunted in the first place thanks to their unsightly nature, their ability to harbour serious diseases, and their potential production of noxious or toxic gases, are running out – and so with nowhere left to put the refuse we accrete, we’re having to start thinking of other means of dealing with the issue.

Waste management jobs are largely focused on getting as much of a company’s rubbish as possible either reused, recycled or turned into energy. Where none of these options are possible, the waste must be compacted to the smallest possible size – which is either done through incineration or through physical compaction.

Incineration must be properly managed in order for it to be both effective and environmentally sound. Obviously a by-product of waste management jobs in which incineration is a common practice, gas and ash both present pollution hazards – though properly managed they may also be used to provide various forms of energy, for example through heat or pressure.

Waste management where incineration is a legal requirement (crematoria, for example) comes with a whole load of subsidiary concerns. High temperature gas management is a skilled activity in its own right, requiring the design of a system capable of filtering hot gas to remove all contaminants before it finally passes into the air.

Waste management jobs require highly qualified and experienced candidates, who are able to determine the particular waste management needs of their industries and businesses. Every sector has its own materials and waste producing processes – so every waste manager must be capable of approaching the waste problem from a practical as well as a theoretical standpoint. It’s only by creating waste management procedures that answer the needs of the business as well as those of the law that any real progress can be made.

Waste management jobs are therefore carried out in concert with other environmental professionals – particularly ecologists, who are able to advise about the environmental impacts of different kinds of waste managing.

Part of the waste manager’s job, in concert with these other professionals, is to understand the potentials of the waste itself – both good and bad. Good waste potential includes the possibility that it may be turned into energy, or that it may be recycled and used in future manufacturing. Bad potential includes the possibility of lasting damage through “hard to kill” substances – like some aggressive dioxins, for instance, which can have serious consequences of the environment and which may be created as a by-product of trying to manage the waste in the first place.

About the Author: Lisa jane is a freelance copywriter and environmentalist. He’s currently working with Ends Job Search promoting a variety of jobs including waste management jobs and specialist jobs in the conservation sector.

Benefits of Hiring Business Consultants

Every decision in your business is very important and it has its pros and cons. While you are finalising any business decision, you need to be certain that it has more pros than cons. Quite often this judgement can go wrong and you may end up making wrong decisions. This is where professional business consultants come into the picture. You may scoff at the idea of hiring a business consultant, but only when you hire one, you will realise that it is a cost-efficient decision.

There are many benefits of hiring a professional business consultant and this article will help you familiarise with these benefits. Business consultants provide services such as business strategy planning, market and demand forecasting, litigation support, policy analysis and consulting and many more. Let us now understand how your business can benefit through these services.

Strategic planning: This is the first and the most important task of a professional business consultant. It deals with understanding your business, identifying the problems and seeking the opportunities. A professional business consultant will strategise a plan for your business that will lead to your company’s success. They will also help you identify the products and services, which will help your business flourish in the long run.

Marketing campaigns: Professional business consultants are not only helpful for mapping out business plans, but also help run successful marketing campaigns. They create entire marketing campaigns, which includes editing, graphic designing and copy writing.

Business check-up: Business consultants conduct regular business check-ups, which help to identify the health of your organisation. This is also useful to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your business and work upon the strengths.

Cost efficiency: Hiring a professional business consultant will give you the greatest ‘bang for your buck.’ They will provide you with business advice for all areas of your business and manage everything with utmost perfection.

Save time and utilise it efficiently: When you hire a business consultant, a great amount of burden will be off your shoulders. Thus, you will have plenty of time to devote to other aspects of business. You can focus on product development, improvising employee relations and providing employee training.

After hiring a professional business consultant, at the end of the day, you will be more relaxed because your business will be safely placed in the able hands of an experienced individual. Business consultants help to alleviate some of the stress that business owners face on a daily basis. All businesses, big and small, regardless of the product or service they provide, will most certainly benefit from hiring a professional business consultant. In today’s fast pacing business world, a business consultant is an important need for every organisation to ensure that all tasks are accomplished successfully.

Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Last

They say that if you want to earn unlimited income, you have to start your own business. No wonder that there are a lot of people who immediately resign from their jobs. Yes, that can be a great plan if you want financial freedom. However, it’s not that easy. You have to think twice, in fact you have to think a lot of times. If you will not plan your business right, you’ll end up bankrupted.

As much as you want to become your own boss, you need to prepare properly. You have to know the risks involved.

In this article, I will briefly explain some of the reasons why more than half of small businesses die.

They are too excited. This is one of the most common reasons why businesses falter in no time. We want to open up our own business even without careful research. Establishing your own trade doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, some successful business owners spent months, even years of preparation, so they can create a long running industry.

Your adrenalin might be at its peak. But don’t let that excitement push you to start something which you aren’t prepared for.

They usually join the ‘business trend’. It’s a big No for you to become a ‘copy – cat’. One business idea might be good in some locations. However, it might not be the best for you. You have to be original. You need to have fresh ideas.

Trends or fads are not forever. Are you going to establish a business that is just for a period of time? I don’t think you like that, right?

out of business — Image: AR McLin / Flickr

They lack promotion. In promoting your business, you have to be aggressive and personal. Don’t take this for granted. How can your business grow if no one knows it? I believe that most business fail in the first few months because they were not able to advertise it properly. You don’t have to spend so much. You can just send messages to your friends and I’m sure they would be willing to share the news with their friends too. Aside from that, you can maximize the social media. It would be nice if you will create your own business page in Facebook. You can also make a twitter account. There are so many ways to promote your business. Invest time for it if you want to be successful.

They don’t keep track of the inventory. Most business owners are busy counting their money. The problem is, they don’t check their inventory. That is very important. A lot of my friends who started their businesses thought that they were doing well only because they have money at the end of the day. But after few months, they realized that the money at hand is not equal to their inventory. And with further investigation, they found out that a clerk stole some items from them.

This can be avoided if you are strict in checking your inventory. Make it a regular habit.

They are not hands on. Even if you are the boss, it doesn’t mean that you have the license to be lousy. You shouldn’t depend the success of your business to your staff. You have to be on top of the game. Being a boss has a lot of responsibilities and being a couch potato is not one of those.

Now, you know what are the worst things you can do for your business. Plan carefully and be consistent so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in no time.

About the Author: Toni Okeson writes for a great welding school site. If you want to start a career or a small stick welding business, you should try reading their resources.

4 Reasons you Should Hire Recent College Grads for your New Business

Starting a small business, no matter how much experience you have, is always hard. But once it’s up and running, and it’s time to start hiring and building a team, the stakes become higher. After all, the success of your business rides on the people who run it, and starting off with a poor team will surely spell disaster. Of course, you want your new small business to have a diverse set of employees, but there are definite reasons you should focus on hiring recent college grads, especially if you’re founding a startup related to technology, social media, Internet marketing, etc.

1. Recent college graduates are passionate and not yet disillusioned by the workforce

If there’s one thing that can be said of Gen Y (don’t count this so-called “sense of entitlement”), it’s that they are passionate about everything they do. Most of those in the 22- to 30-year-old set were raised during an era in which parenting was decidedly about raising children to love what they do. This parenting style has produced young adults who have a strong desire to not just get any old job, but to get and excel in a job that they enjoy. Hiring recent grads will give your new business the edge that it needs.

2. They know the Internet and computers like the backs of their hand

If you’re starting a small business now, chances are that, even if it’s not exclusively up and running online, a big part of the business is run by computers and Internet tools. If you hire too many older employees, chances are that you’ll have to spend quite a bit of time training them how to use these tools. With “digital natives” learning most computer and Internet skills is almost instant—if they don’t know it yet, they’ll learn it by the end of the day.

3. They desperately need jobs

Of course, you shouldn’t hire someone based only on their desperation for a job. But in this bleak economy, those who are hurting the most are those who just recently entered the job market. Some employers may be a little hesitant to hire young people with little experience, but they often have more skills than you would think. And giving a helping to hand to those who are young and full of potential will help you as your business grows.

4. Younger employees are more willing to take risks that are vital to the success of your business

If there is one thing that is common to all small businesses, it’s that they absolutely require risk-taking in order to survive. Recent college graduates are often very keen on taking risks, much more so than those who are older and more experienced. The vitality and innovation-driven spirit of recent grads can only be an advantage for your small business.

Of course, there are problems with hiring recent grads that are specific to this generation. They often need more guidance and desire praise and a sense of purpose. But if you can provide a nurturing environment, your young employees can be one of your greatest assets. Good luck!

About the Author: This is a guest post by Susan Wells. She writes on topics including health/car/life insurance, mortgage, real estate.

Image: Will Folsom / Flickr